On Mobility

The sixth edition introduced an important novelty – an artist-in-residence programme for the winner

For its sixth edition, the biennial Premio Furla per l’arte 2007 tapped artist Mona Hatoum as the patroness of the prestigious event. Besides having created the graphics of the communication with her work Routes, the London-based Palestinian artist entitled the exhibition On mobility, addressing an issue that is driving and forging contemporary living, both in a positive manner and with more tragic developments. Hatoum’s predecessors’ in this role have included artists Joseph Kosuth, Ilya Kabakov, Lothar Baumgarten, Michelangelo Pistoletto and Kiki Smith. Starting with the sixth edition of the Award, the winner, in this case Luca Trevisani, was given the chance to spend a period of time at the artist residency of an important art institution. The initiative further underscored how Premio Furla per l’arte was looking to expand globally in a world where national and continental borders are disappearing. Established in Venice in 2000, the Premio Furla per l’arte in 2007 involved two juries, the first at national level chose the five finalist artists – Alice Cattaneo, Elenia Depedro, Nicola Gobbetto, Luca Trevisani and Nico Vascellari – while an international jury named the winner, Luca Trevisani. Both juries comprised high-profile international artists, museum directors and curators. The works of the five finalists were displayed at Villa delle Rose, which is part of the Modern Art Museum of Bologna.